Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-14
no MORE FOREIGN SUGAR.
A New Industry for Amer can
Farmers.
Washington Post.

A New Industry for Amer can
Farmers.
Washington PosLl
Commissioner Colman has Just re-
TUNED from an official visit to Fort
Scott, Kan, where the Department Of
Agriculture is conducting experiments
in making sugar from sorghum by the
diffusion process, and expresses him.
self as being delighted with the results
obtained. The experiments consist in
the tlial Of a new process in making
sugar in this country, which dispenses
entirely with the costly and ponderous
mills and steam-engines, etc, and uses
far simpler and less expensive method
of extracting the juice, by which all the
saccharine matter is obtained, while by
the former methods from 80 to 40 per
cent. on an average of the juice, even
with the southern sugar-cane, IS LETT IN
the cane after passing through the mill,
and with sorghum q still larger quonti-
ty, because of greater difficulty in ex-
tracing. The new process Is called the
diffusion or saturation process. The
cane is cut into chips and passed into a
battery of twelve cells, each holding
a ton of chips. Hot water is then APP
piled, which rapidly exhausts the sac
charine matter, and so thoroughly that
there is scarcely trace of it left. The
cells are entirely practical, being speedi-
" filed, manipulated, and cmptled,
one man attending to the entire opera.
ticn. The process is as rapid rs the
oldImethcd, less costly, and enables
E6manuGactuier to secure and utilize
all the Juice, instead OF about half as
heretofore. Similar experiments We're
made last year, but the cutters, ma
cbinery, and The method were all new,
and difficulties occurred which could
not he overcome at once. Some 900
pounds Of sugar were, however, made
last year, though the experiments were
considered a failure.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES.
Having had more time and the ex-
peIience of last year to guide us, said
the Commissioner yesterday, 81 am
more than pleased to be able to say
that all the difficulties seem now 10
have been overcome, and no flour
ing-mill is more surely turning out its
quota Of -four than is the Parkinson
Sugar-WorLs at Fort Scott, Kan
turning out It's quota of sugar to-day,
and .s.",.a1 OF the best c,;aa,sJ, p9lari7-
ing $50. The mill is capable Of working
up every twenty hours 80 tons Of GAGE,
making therefrom 1900 pounds Of
sugor or more. A yield Of from ten to
fifteen tons of cane per acre was being
secured, which would produce 10y this
new process from 200 to 1900 pounds
Of sugar. This sugar is worth by the
carload there . cents per pound. |
left there after the first weeks work,
and it was estimated that over 100000
pounds of sugar had already been
made. The sugar was there to be
seen by every body, too. Nor is this
all. TO every ton OF cane, aside
from the sugar in it, there are some ten
or twelve gallons of molasses. and also
the seed raised upon the cane, amount
ing 10 about twenty-five bushels per
acre, and just az good for feeding all
kinds of stock as Indian corn. In
deed, the seed, it is estimated, will pay
for raising the cane, which is merit
possessed by no other sugar plant
sUGAR-HILLS EVERYWHERE.
"Then you believe the results of
these experiments will be beneficial to
the country?"
Beyond a doubt. Our nation is
paying 500, 000,0O0 annually to the
sUgar-producers of other countries, and
il We have demonstrated that We can
prOftably produce sugar on our own
farms it is a matter of the highest I'M
poItaDce to the country. 1t will not
only keep this monoyat home, but Will
save TO our people Sol, 000, 000annunlly
in customs-duties. Colonel Parkinson,
the manager at Fort Scott, would have
been satisfied with seyenty-five pounds
OF crystali2ed sugar per ton, and, with
the seed and molasses at present prices,
could have lun his factory at profit
lut Low when he comes to get at
least fifty pounds more to the ton, his
enthusiasm is very great | cannot see
why orr people should not go to
making sugar. A complete sugar fac
tory Will cost about as much as a -four
ing mill, and can be run at great pro-
TT according to the present expert
ments. Farmers are glad to raise the
cane at 81 per ton, and at that it pays
better than other farm produce. There
is an oyer-production OF most farm
crops, making prices ruinously low,
and if this new industry will employ
roItion OF those now laising other
things at 10 profit, it will give great re-
lief TO the farming classes and open up
a most promising field for both farmer
ana manufacturer.
TO EXTEND TIE EXPERIMENTS.
The Commissioner says that the peo-
pie of Fort Scott are enthusiastic over
the successful working OF the sugar
mill. The experiments now being con-
Quoted at Rio Grande, n. j., are also
very satisfactory. The process is now to
he tried on southern cane in November,
and the Commissioner is sanguine OF
success. Indeed, he looks upon these
experiments as being equally important
to tits country as the invention OF the
cotton-gin. Z" am not unmindful,"
be says, "that there has been much en-
ihusiasm expressed in the past relative
TO sorghum-sugar. The trouble was
that under the old systems but forty
pounds of sugar per ton of cane could
be obtained, while under the new pro-
cess much more than 100 pounds is oh
tanned. Therefore, while under the
old methods it was found Improbable
to make sugar, under the new system
the largely-increased yield will provide
profitable industry even at the present
prices of sugar. / may be called en-
thusiastie, but seeing is believing, and
from what ! have seen in the past few
weeks 1 believe that in a few years
time every body viii admit that there Is
very good ground for my present en-
thusiGsm."